What began as two buskers performing on the streets of Brighton, England has become a global off-broadway sensation that is still going strong after a decade and a half.  Now in its sixteenth year, touring percussion hit STOMP has performed in more than 350 cities and 36 countries around the world, continuing to be met with rave reviews and countless awards, and was named one of Entertainment Weekly’s top 50 greatest productions since 1983.

Creators Steve McNicholas and Luke Creswell founded the dance and percussion troupe STOMP in 1991, which performed in the UK for a time before touring the world and eventually launching into an off-broadway phenomenon with its 1994 debut at NYC’s Orpheum Theatre.  And while it’s hard to believe that a 90 minute show void of costumes, dialogue or any real plot could be so entertaining as to remain a hit ever since, STOMP has captivated audiences in a way that is unlike any other theater performance of its time.

The brilliantly chaotic show takes modern dance and slapstick comedy and pairs them with thunderous percussion –created using non-instrumental items, ranging from trashcans to tires to boxes of cereal– that sounds like fun and infectious tribal music.  Meanwhile, the eight performers’ unique personalities, communicated strictly through sound and motion, charm the audience without saying a word.

STOMP makes its return to Houston next week, and will feature a several 2010 additions, including fresh props and new routines, for an experience that promises to be more toe-tappingly irresistible than ever.